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Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a wonderful cake, but it's one that falls into my "hate to love it" category. The cake is delicious and fairly easy to make, but I have a problem with its baking time. I've made it several times and on each occasion the baking time has varied. In all three instances, it has taken longer to bake than the recipe suggests. My oven has just been recalibrated, so I doubt there is a problem with the thermostat, and I'm using the specified pan-size, so I know there is no problem there. I can tell you that my cakes still shimmy at the end of the 30 minute time suggested by the recipe. Mine require a minimum of 50 minutes to assure a stable center. I suspect the difference is attributable to the amount of moisture in the zucchini, but I really don't know for sure. At any rate, the cake is good enough that I'm willing to keep an eye on it while it bakes. The cake is based on a recipe developed in the Ghiradelli kitchens and the original recipe can be found here. This version of the cake, created by Kate Westburg, was a winner in a Ghiradelli competition held at the DuPage County Fair this past summer. I've changed the recipe slightly and if you'd like to see the original it can be found here. The cake is delicious, even if it drives me crazy. I hope you will try it. It's worth the aggravation. Here's the recipe.

Mary, I'm a die hard zucchini bread and cake fan. I have to admit that I suffer from the same problem as you in many of my recipes. It is hard to pin down the exact time as to when they are done. I agree, the moister in every squash is different. Some reicpes have you salt and squeeze to remove the water, but I as so happy with the results without- I don't want to mess with a good thing. I'll be trying your cake this weekend, it looks lovely.

Zucchini is the best ingredient in baking. Oh Mary, sometmes different oven gives you different baking time. It doesn't matter at all cause your cake looks divine. And I am salivating! ^_^Hope you're enjoying your day.Blessings, Kristy

This cake looks really good! I just made the zucchini muffins, the one you posted earlier on. Thought of adding in chocolate chips but did not! The muffins are lovely! The only thing I change was to reduce some of the sugar (it's a habit of mine!). Thanks so much. This chocolate zucchini cake will be on my list of to-do. Zucchini are not that easy to find over here, the fact that it is not a common vege over in Malaysia, only certain stores sell zucchini, and not always too!

Mary, I can imagine how moist and delicious this cake must be! I grated and froze my extra zucchini, so I'm going to try this week for the company we are having over the weekend.YUMMY! Your photos are always good enough to eat!Yvonne

Mary...I've found myself in the position of the 'love to hate recipes' on many occasions. Most times...besides the issue of oven temp. I figure it's an issue of the lack of mention if the pan they use is light or dark...OR...where did they place the oven rack...OR...as in this particular recipe, yes, maybe it's the moisture level in the zucchini.

Ahhh...the trials and errors in out kitchen keep challenging us to no end ;o)

Thank you for this recipe...I have a few too many zucchinis waiting to be used.

Anything that uses up 2 c of zucchini is great in my book. One of my favorite new recipes is a chocolate banana cake that has the best texture ever... now I want to try this. Honestly, Mary, 30 minutes must be a mistake... no bread takes 30 minutes, does it? Also, this could be easier to calibrate using weights... I bet it changes significantly depending on the zucchini used. This recipe does look like it's worth the effort!

Zucchini and chocolate put this in the health food category--right?! I've had the same problem with zucchini cakes and breads getting done in the prescribed amount of time. It has to be the amount of moisture.

When I was a kid my mom refused to tell me what was in my favorite chocolate cake that she made... later in life, she confessed that it was a chocolate zucchini cake!! By that time I was hooked :) YUM!

Cakes always take a lot longer for me as well. At least ten minutes, which is kind of a pain because then you have to watch it for a hawk like that ten minutes, absolutely certain that it's going to start burning any second.

This cake does sound quite worth it though. All that chocolatey zucchini goodness.

This sounds delicious. Thank you for the warning on the baking time. I agree that it probably has to do with the amount of moisture in the zucchini, but I will be sure to keep my eye on it while baking. Have a beautiful day! Thank you for sharing!

Yesterday, I baked a batch of the White Chocolate Lime Cookies to bring to a Docent meeting today. My DH & I sampled quite a few before I placed them in the cookie container "to go". They are sooooo gooood! Thanks for the recipe!~Judy

Mary, this is a favorite of several of my clients with children- they figure if it gets a vegetable into a 4 year old, it's a keeper! :)I tend to agree that the moisture is probably the cause and I can assure you that mine has NEVER been done in 30 minutesxoxo Pattie

Hey! Thanks for sharing the recipe. Made this cake a few weeks back- and while it tasted great I goofed up by overfilling the pan! Anyways will give this recipe a shot again. Linking your recipe on my blog. Thanks again!

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